About the event

You do not need any prior knowledge or experience to attend this event - it is strictly for beginners. However, we recommend watching the online training presentation given for us by April Windle   here.  This in-person event will consolidate and build on the online presentation and give you a chance to find out if you'd like to continue learning about, and then recording lichens as a citizen scientist for the Saving Devon's Trees project.

RHS Rosemoor is a great venue for this event. They have recently created a 'lichen interpretation trail' and we will use this as the basis for our session (a first for us), following the trail through the various different habitats the gardens offer, and learning about lichens as we go. Your guides for the event will be Fred Gibson, Devon WIldlife Trust volunteer and a British Lichen Society LABs (Lichens for Absolute Beginners) tutor, and Lindsay Mahon, Saving Devon's Treescapes Citizen Science Assistant and lichen hobbyist.

This is a practical event, held entirely outdoors. The route covers a reasonable distance around the grounds and is reasonably flat. We will cover some basic lichen ecology and morphology, and focus mainly on looking at examples of accessible lichens in Rosemoor and the features which help us identify one lichen from another. Lichens are important components of our ecosystems, and bioindicators - giving clues to the health of the environment they live in. They are a world in miniature, fascinating, beautiful, and under-represented in species recording in Devon.

In coming years, as Ash Dieback drastically reduces available habitat for particular species of lichens that prefer ash habitat, we are keen to understand the impact on these lichens. Will their numbers also reduce, or will they be able to adapt to living on other trees? That's where you can help us by learning how to identify, and then record these species.

This event is aimed at those new to looking at lichens only. If you have attended a similar event previously, and would like to refresh your skills or join others to practice and develop your skills and knowledge, please contact Lindsay (lmahon@devonwildlifetrust.org) to find out how.

We are very grateful to RHS Rosemoor for allowing us free access to the gardens for this event. Numbers are therefore strictly limited. After the event, you will be welcome to make use of Rosemoor's excellent cafe. 

This is a citizen science event hosted by Saving Devon's Treescapes, a partnership project led by DWT on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, One Tree Planted and other funders. Read more about the project and find other ways to get involved here.